Electrically internally heated automobile seat cushion



y 1955 J. GOLDSTEIN ET AL 2,71

ELECTRICALLY INTERNALLY HEATED AUTOMOBILE SEAT CUSHION Filed July 17,1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l Z 963%,? J05 A 21049225 f @flyl/dfd d /i y 1955.1. GOLDSTEIN ET AL 2,712,592

ELECTRICALLY INTERNALLY HEATED AUTOMOBILE SEAT CUSHION Filed July 17,1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 java-221 it Stt$ l ak ELECTRICALLY INTERNALLYHEATED AUTQMUBELE SEAT CUSHION Joseph Goldstein, Newark, and SaulDennison, East Orange, N. J.

This invention deals with a wire spring cushion which is internallyheated by electrical means. More specifically, it relates to aspirally-wound coil spring cushion heated by means of a concentricallydisposed ribbontype heating element.

Spring cushions generally are made of spring coils of various materials,preferably metal, fastened together by suitable means to produce aunitary cushion, usually encased with a textile or other type of cover.This invention is particularly concerned with ventilated cushions havinga horizontal spiral coil, such as those described in U. S. Patent1,911,276 issued to E. P. Harley, especially as depicted in Figure 2 ofsaid patent.

it has been found that such ventilated cushions can be improvedconsiderably by incorporating therein a spiral ribbon-type heatingelement inside of the coil thereof, which enables an occupant of a car,for example, to be made comfortable in extreme winter weather when nocar heater is available or when it is not functioning. The inventionwill be more readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of theinvention by means of a partially cut-away top view of a portion of acushion made in accordance with the present invention. An enlargeddetailed partially cut-away view of the cushion in Figure 1 is shown inFigure 2. Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a top view of aheated seat and back combination cushion employing different types ofheating ribbon arrangements, while Figure 4 represents a similar view ofsuch a cushion in which the heating elements are connected in series.Figures 5 and 6 show perspective views of a heatable seat cushion infinished form ready for plugging into an electrical outlet, of the car,such as the cigarette lighter outlet, for example, while Figures 7 and 8show perspective views of other modifications of seat cushions fallingwithin the purview of the present invention. Similar numerals refer tosimilar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2,numeral 1 represents the outermost portion of the spiralled metal springcoil which makes up the interior of the cushion 45 and which portion isconnected to the next adjacent coil portion 2 by means of fastening wire3 which is passed through alternate loops of coil portion 1 and portion2. Hoop 4 is a continuous wire ring serving as the outer support for theentire spiral coil which starts at point 46 and spirals around until itterminates in the center of the cushion at 5. Likewise, fastening wire 3begins where it is attached at point 49 to hoop i and it spirals throughalternate loops of coil portions until it terminates at the center atpoint 48 and there serves to bind together the inside terminus of thecoil.

As can be seen from Figure 1, heating ribbon 11, which is made ofresistance wire 13 and return resistance wire 13a joined in insulatingrelation by means of glass or other insulating fabric 49 (Figure 2), ispassed through the center of the wire spiral coil 1, 2, etc.,

atent 2,712,592 Patented July 5, 1955 ice substantially concentricallydisposed therein, and the innermost end is fastened at a point 12 nearthe inside terminus of the wire spiral by means of plastic rivets or thelike (so as to prevent shorting of heating wires 13-13(1). The heatingribbon 11 has its exit end fastened at to the seat cushion cover 6 (orotherwise), so as to prevent any possibility of accidental pulling outof the heating ribbon within the wire coil and thus causing wearing outof the insulation with corresponding shorting. Ribbon outlet canterminate at its outer end with a plug 14 as shown in Figure 5, or oneadapted to fit into the cigarette lighter fixture of an automobile.Cover 6 preferably is made of fireproof or fire-resistant material. Ascan be seen from Figure 6, the cushion of the present invention is veryflexible and adaptable as a seat for automobiles.

Among the various embodiments of heatable cushions disclosed herein isthe one shown in Figure 7, in which the cushion 19 is tufted and one endof the heating ribbon terminates with receptacle 26 into which a plug,carrying electric current, may be inserted. Straps 21 and 22 attached tothe sides of the cushion may be used to anchor the cushion so that itdoes not move excessively and thus dislodge receptacle 2%.

In Figure 8 is shown a hexagonally shaped cushion employing an internalspring helical coil such as that illustrated in Figure 1. In this case,hoop 4 is bent into the hexagonal shape. Plug 18 is employed forconnection with a current carrying receptacle, while receptacle 17 maybe used to connect the heating strip in cushion 16 with another cushionadjaccntly disposed, as in a car.

As shown in Figure 4, cushion 24 carrying heating coil 2) inside wirecoil 60 may be sewed on at edge 26 to cushion carrying heating coil 32within spring coil 61, in which case the combination may be used as aseat and back, both of which could be heated. It is assumed that theheating ribbon coils may be disposed within spring spiralled coils(shown schematically) as in Figure 1. Ribbon 29 can be used in a mannerso that both resistance coils 5t) and 51 in end 30 are connected to thesame current source, and end 31 may be connected with another heatablecoil. In the case of heating coil 32, current is fed into resistancewire 52, for example and led around central loop 33, and finally '7leaves end 34 through wire 53.

it is possible to employ more heating in the seat cush ion 35 (Figure4), for example, by making heating coil 38 longer than heating coil 40in back 36 which is joined to seat 35 at edge 37. Both heating coils areconnected by connector 42 and ends 41 and 41 are connected to thecurrent source. Rings 39 and 54- schematically indicate spirallyconnected spring coils as that shown by numerals 1, 2, etc. in Figure 1.

it has been found that the heating ribbons disposed centrally within thespiralled metal coil offer a number of important advantages over otherforms of heating. In the first place, the heating coils are adequatelyprotected from rubbing and consequent breaking or shorting. If shortingdid occur, the only result would be the blowing of a fuse which can beinserted in the heater circuit. Secondly, there is a volume of airaround the heating coils, so that the persons body does not restdirectly on the coils. This results in an even heating of the personsbody surface and avoids locally overheated spots. Thirdly, theelectrically heated ribbon may be readily replaced, if necessary, bydisconnecting centrally disposed end 33 (Fig. 3), such as by removingthe staples at 12 (Fig. 1) and then tying a string on to end 33 of theheater ribbon. Thereafter, the outer end 10 (Fig. 1) may be disconnectedand slowly pulled out until end 33 and the string tied thereon emerge atpoint 10. A new heating ribbon may be attached to the end of the stringat this point and the other end of the string at point 12 may be pulledback to reinstall the new heating ribbon within the cushion.

It will be observed from Figure 1 that spring coils (or filling) l, 2,etc. in cushion 45 comprise a hollow wire coil unitized in one plane inthe form of a tightly fastened spiral in which individual rings ofadjacently disposed coil sections (such as 1 and 2) are in partiallyoverlapping relation, thereby forming an overlapping area through whichis threaded a continuous length of fastening wire 3 which serves tofasten the spiral and keep it from uncoiling. The heating ribbon 11 maybe inserted in only one section or a portion of a section of the wirecoil, such as an outer section 1, or one of the inner sections, such as2, etc. Although a. spiral form is preferred for this spring in thecushion, other forms, such as parallel rows, for example, may be used.

As is apparent from the above, the present invention aflfords a newmeans for allowing owners of cars Without heaters to obtain a superiorheating means which, in the present embodiment, provides heated airunder and behind the person sitting in the car, within ten seconds. Mostcar heaters take 15 to 25 minutes before adequate heating of the personoccurs. In the present means, the heating is centralized to a specificarea, providing a flow of Warm air with ventilating provisions notobtainable when the heating element is embedded in a packed seat ordirectly under the body of the person.

Cir

We claim:

1. An electrically heated automobile seat cushion com prising a hollowwire coil unitized in one plane in the form of a tightly held spiral andconsisting of a series of rings with individual rings of adjacent.ydisposed coil sections in partially overlapping relation, therebyforming an overlapping area, a continuous length of fastening wireinserted in the overlapping area serving as a fastening means for saidspiral, and an electrically heatable resist ce type ribbon elementdisposed substantially conly within said coil.

2. An electrically heated cushion for an automobile seat comprising ahollow wire coil unitized in the plane of the seat in the form of atightly fastened spiral, an electrically heatable ribbon elementdisposed substantially concentrically within said coil, and electricalplug connections on the ends of said ribbon element for plugging sameinto an elec rical outlet in said automobile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,541,213 Harley June 9, 1925 1,911,276 Harley May 30, 1933 1,957,401Weidenrnann May 1, 1934 1,989,582 Becker Ian. 29, 1935 2,098,735 YentisNov. 9, 1937 2,587,731 Irving Mar. 4. 1952

